COLLEAGUES from an events and publishing company are taking on the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for a Ugandan community.

The group of 10 from Tarsus Group, Hammersmith, has begun training to complete a climb of the highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland in 24 hours.

Members hope to raise £10,000 for Events for Namuwongo, a charity that is trying to provide basic necessities such as clean water, sanitation, health care and education, including a new school, for the town.

Events for Namuwongo is a partnership of companies and individuals from the global events industry who have already given £400,000 to improve the life of the 30,000 inhabitants living near the capital of Kampala.

The colleagues, whose ages range from 24 to 40, will set off on the challenge on August 31.

Carol Houghton, 24, an editorial and production executive, said: "A few people in the company were talking about it and we thought it was a really good cause. I'd love to be able to go out to Namuwongo myself to see how the money we've raised has helped, and to personally get involved.

"Out of the group, one guy has done a half-marathon and another has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, but for the rest of us hiking up a mountain will be a new experience.The girls are taking it seriously. We’ve been going on hikes and going to tougher gym classes than we normally would, but the guys are mostly hoping to get by with a bit of luck. They’ve got a lot of fighting talk so we will have to see who makes it to the end first!”

The peaks are Snowdon, in Wales (1,085m), Scafell Pike, in England (978m) and Ben Nevis, in Scotland (1,344m).

The team has held fundraising events, including a picnic and a fancy dress day, and so far have raised £1,500.

Members hope more donations will be made that can help the people of Namuwongo, who suffer malnutrition, drug abuse, and polluted water and where the average living wage is 20p a day.